This year’s Risk and Insurance Management conference in Boston (April 24 – 28) was a far cry from the recession-induced gloom of 2009 – even though it rained the last two days. Even the colors were brighter – lime green and fuschia – a great combination for staying awake and alert.

I spent three days in the exhibit hall, talking with exhibitors, attendees and of course, reporters. And in every interview, those reporters shared the secrets of getting coverage in their publications. There are three of them. They are:

1. News
2. News
3. News

“What’s the news?” is the media version of “Where’s the beef?” of yesteryear. Too often, company executives view a media relations program as the opportunity to talk about – their companies. And it certainly is – through news releases and company announcements, interview for articles that profile the company and expand further on those company announcements. But the majority of placements – especially today, when media outlets and their staff are shrinking almost daily – are in conjunction with reporting on the news of the day. In these cases, the company (or their PR agency) finds a way to link their message with the news du jour in such a way that they become part of the news story that reporters are charged to write.

For example, the major topic of the day this spring is healthcare reform. What is it? Who is going to be impacted? How will life as we know it, change because of healthcare reform? What little-known provisions does the bill include that will rock our world?

How can the aspiring thought leader be part of this story? By answering these questions. Taking some examples from the RIMS world:

– How will healthcare reform impact workers’ compensation?
– How will the administration’s support of healthcare technology impact medical care and cost containment?
– With millions more Americans be insured, who will provide that care?
– What is the impact on employers and their workforce?

The astute executive – and their PR team – then finds ways to weave the company messages and expertise into these very topical stories. The reporter has a juicy story, and the company enjoys the credibility of being the expert resource providing this valuable information.

For more public relations insights….